According to the World health organization (WHO), 1 in 3 women has gone through physical or sexual violence at any given time in their life. Gender-based violence is a violation of human rights and every woman should be respected regardless of age because as you are aware some societies embrace GBV as a sign of love. Gender-based violence range from verbal to emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. The impacts of GBV can be severe. A high prevalence of violence can be linked with higher rates of HIV infections, early pregnancies, mental illnesses, and forced child marriages.
Cultural norms often present men as final decision-makers while requiring women to be submissive. In other cases, women are dependent on men due to poverty and low education levels. The survivors of violence often face rejection from family members and may also experience low self-esteem because of undergoing emotional abuse. This is where the partner says demeaning words that can also cause anxiety and can lead to self-isolation. They can also turn to substance abuse. Inadequate sensitization to the dangers of gender-based violence also contributes to rising cases.
Kenya is a signatory to various international protocols that aim to protect women from gender and sexual violence these include the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (CEDAW), the convention on the rights of the child as well as the Maputo protocol. To free all women from gender and other forms of violence, we must implement these conventions and policies.
Cultural norms are by far making things worse because women and men believe that the husband is justified in beating his wife for insignificant reasons. Kenya has witnessed increasing cases of gender-based violence, especially in marriage and relationships most of them resulting in death. Couples are therefore advised to seek professional help when the relationship becomes rocky to avoid such cases. Access to information and services, involvement of men in the campaign against GBV, and provision of skills in decision-making will reduce these cases. We should promote age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education in schools that will provide a right-based approach towards the prevention of gender-based violence.